WHAT WE BELIEVE
Holding Forth the Word of Life - Philippians 2:16

"Holding Forth the Word of Life" is more than a nice slogan or catch phrase for our church. It is what we believe every true church ought to be doing. Handling accurately the truth of the Bible, and setting that truth before God's people and the world is one of the most fundamental duties of every local church.

As Baptists we have a rich heritage and tradition of sound statements and confessions of faith upon which we can draw as we seek to set forth the truth to our generation. The Abstract of Principles is one the earliest statements of faith found among Southern Baptists. With some minor editing, primarily to update the language, we have adopted it as our Statement of Faith. We have also added two sections - one on creation and one on marriage.

We set forth the following statement with the prayer that it will encourage and strengthen our unity, fellowship, witness, enjoyment, and effectiveness in the Gospel. As you read and study it, may you grow in respect to your own salvation and be encouraged to join with us as we seek to serve the King.

1. THE SCRIPTURES
The Scriptures, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, were given by the inspiration of God. They are the all-sufficient, certain, infallible, inerrant, authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and practice. Nothing, whether a supposed revelation of the Spirit or man's traditions, is ever to be added to the Scripture.
Isaiah 8:20; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Revelation 22:18-21



2. GOD AND THE HOLY TRINITY
There is only one true and living God. He is the Creator, Preserver and Ruler of all things. He is self-existent, infinite and eternal in His being and His perfections. God has revealed Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.
Exodus 3:14; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 1:15-20


3. CREATION

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and all things, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days and all very good. God created man, male and female, in His image. He created man with reasonable and immortal souls in righteousness and holiness. Man owes to his Creator whatever worship, service or obedience He is pleased to require of him.
Genesis 1:1, 31; John 1:1-4; Revelation 4:9-11


4. PROVIDENCE

Nothing happens by chance or outside of the sphere of God's providence. God with infinite holiness, love, power and wisdom, upholds, directs, controls and governs all things.
Daniel 4:34-35; Psalm 115:1-3


5. SIN AND THE FALL OF MAN

Man was originally created upright and free from sin. Through the temptation of Satan, Adam and Eve transgressed the command of God and fell from their original state of holiness and righteousness. Consequently, all their posterity inherit a nature corrupt and opposed to God and His law. All are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.
Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6-7; Romans 3:10-20, 5:12


6. ELECTION

Election is God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life - not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ - in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified.
Ephesians 1:3-7; 1 Peter 1:1-4


7. THE MEDIATOR

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, and suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe.
Acts 14:6; Hebrews 7:20-28; 1 Timothy 2:5

8. REGENERATION

Regeneration is a change of heart, brought about by the Holy Spirit, who makes alive the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace alone.
Ephesians 2:4-5; Titus 3:5-7


9. REPENTANCE

Repentance and faith are inseparable. Repentance is a saving grace by which a sinner out of a true sense of sin and an understanding of the mercy of God in Christ, does with godly sorrow and hatred of sin turn from it to God, with a determination to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.
Acts 20:21; Luke 24:46-48; 2 Corinthians 7:10


10. FAITH

Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority of whatever is revealed in His Word, receiving and resting upon Christ alone for justification, salvation and eternal life. It is worked in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.
Romans 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:1-6


11. JUSTIFICATION

Justification is the gracious act by which God fully and completely forgives sinners and imparts to them the righteousness of Jesus Christ at the moment they believe. Justification is by faith in Jesus Christ. It is bestowed only on those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:21-26, 5:1-2


12. SANCTIFICATION

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God's word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all Christians seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in obedience to all Christ's commands.
1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 12:14


13. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end. They may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, and grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves. They shall, however, be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
John 10:27-30; Philippians 1:6


14. THE CHURCH

The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into local churches. To each of these churches He gives needful authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a Church are Pastors or Elders, and Deacons.
Matthew 16:18; Hebrews 10:23-25; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-13


15. BAPTISM

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer. The believer is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God to live and walk in newness of life. It is prerequisite to church membership and to participation in the Lord's Supper.
Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 2:41-42


16. THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death and to confirm the faith and graces of Christians. It is to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with Him and of their church fellowship.
1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-32


17. RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE LORD'S DAY

Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone. Since man's fall into sin, worship cannot be rendered to God without a mediator; and the only accepted mediator is Jesus Christ. The only acceptable way of worshipping the true God is appointed by Himself, in accordance with His own will. The Lord's Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercise of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private.
Exodus 20:1-6; Deuteronomy 12:32; 1 Timothy 2:5; Isaiah 58:13-14


18. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

Christ has purchased for all believers a liberty inherent in the gospel. It comprises freedom from the guilt of sin, from the condemnation that follows upon guilt, from the wrath of God, and from the severity and curse of God's law. It includes free access to God and the yielding of obedience to Him, not with the fear of a slave for his master, but with a childlike love and readiness. God alone is Lord of the conscience. He has set it free from all obligation to receive or obey any doctrines and demands of men which are in any respect in opposition to His Word or not contained in it.
John 8:31-36; Galatians 5:13; Galatians 6:7-8


19. MARRIAGE

Marriage is to be between one man and one woman. It is not lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at one and the same time. God instituted marriage for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind in accordance with His laws, and for the prevention of immorality. It is the duty of Christians to marry only "in the Lord".
Genesis 2:21-25; Matthew 19:1-9; 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, 39

20. THE RESURRECTION

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God - the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.
John 5:25-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18


21. THE JUDGMENT

God has appointed a day when he will judge the world by Jesus Christ and every one shall receive according to his deeds: the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous into everlasting life.
Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 17:30-31; Revelation 20:11-15

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